Anyway, I like this chapter, despite it's difficulties. Next one is sort of an add on, sort of not, since I had to separate pieces of material from the original Chapter 17 I wrote way back. It shouldn't be too long, but it won't be done until the new year. This is the last chapter of 2013, so I hope everyone enjoys it. Thanks to those who've stuck with me throughout this year and previous ones. Once again, I would like any criticism people want to levy, good or bad, but since it's been a dry year, I doubt I'll see much -_-u Still, I do this cause I love it, so this will continue regardless.
Now, enjoy.
Chapter
17: Foundry
Mina took a deep breath and dipped her hands into the pond
of lukewarm water in front of her. The
Selvan glade's blue soil and the particles of Leyline energy that filled the
air made the water appear to glow.
Cupping her hands together, she scooped some water out of the pond and
glanced over at Aeon, who was resting the base of his spine on a rock next to
the pool. "Alright," Mina
nodded at the lich and turned her gaze to the water cradled in her hands,
"I'm ready."
Wordlessly, Aeon lowered his right hand into the pond and
began to swirl it about in a circle. He
moved slowly and deliberately, his eyeless sockets focusing squarely on Mina as
she breathed in and out in a steady rhythm.
The emerald haired girl closed her eyes, ignoring the
stray lights dancing in front of her eyelids, and pricked up her ears. At first, she could only hear the wind and
her own breathing. However as seconds
dragged on, she could make out another noise.
It was akin to the soft glide of a spoon through a bowl of soup.
Focusing on the sound, Mina tried to picture the water in
the pond swirling about in her mind. As
she listened, she felt warmth flowing into her through her skin, mouth, and
nose. Energy gathered in the pit of her
stomach with each breath she took and she carefully guided it into both of her
arms. Gradually, Mina felt the water cupped
in her palms begin to swirl about, even though she was holding her hands
perfectly still.
When the sound of water being jostled about ceased, Mina
cracked an eyelid. She saw Aeon's hand
suspended over the pool of water.
Droplets dribbled down from his nails, creating ripples each time they
impacted the surface of the pond. After
the third splash, Mina closed her eyes again.
She envisioned the fall of every subsequent drop and the ripples that
formed when they hit. The water in her
hands stopped churning around and began to quiver and tremble, rippling in her
palms as if it were alive.
"Okay..."
Mina whispered to herself. She opened
her eyes and nodded at Aeon. The lich
flipped his hand over and raised his index finger. The last few droplets of water that clung to
his bones floated into the air before stopping entirely. Keeping her eyes fixed on the floating
droplets of water, Mina poured more energy into her hands. Slowly, the water rose out of her hand, drop
by drop, and hung in the air above her palm.
Allowing herself a smile, Mina breathed a sigh of relief. Her eyes drifted towards Aeon, who was
watching her with his skull resting on the knuckles of his left hand.
"You are
wavering, Minava," Aeon said.
Immediately,
Mina's smile dissipated and her eyes drifted back to the droplets of clear water,
now trembling just above her palm. Keeping
her eyes fixed on the spheres, Mina tensed her stomach and forced more Leyline
energy into her hands. Within seconds, the
water droplets stilled themselves.
Out of the
corner of her eye, Mina glanced over at the lich. His droplets of water danced in the air as he
absentmindedly twirled his fingers about.
A short sigh escaped Mina's lips and she let her hands fall to her sides. The spheres of water dropped with her hands
and splashed against the blue soil underfoot.
"Are you
frustrated, Minava?" Aeon muttered, flicking the droplets of water from
his fingers into the pond.
Trudging over
to Aeon's side, Mina dropped onto the grass next to the lich and dabbled her
fingers in the water. "Maybe a
little," she mumbled. Guiding
energy into her fingers, Mina lifted them out of the water and five tiny rivers
followed after them, rising a few inches out of the pond before collapsing back
into it. Splashing her hand back into
the water, she suppressed a sigh.
"You will
grow accustomed to the other elements in time.
Do not be discouraged."
"Thanks,"
Mina flashed Aeon a smile and climbed to her feet. "I guess earth is next?"
The lich
nodded, resting his bony chin on his knuckles.
Furrowing her
brow, Mina squatted down and planted her hands in the dirt. "I really hate doing earth," she
groaned, "It wears me out more than a whole day's work at the
tavern."
"Would
you prefer to practice with fire first?" Aeon muttered.
A frown
crossed Mina's lips and she gazed back at Aeon's perpetually stoic skull before
shaking her head. "No...I'll do
earth," she grunted, rubbing her neck against one of her shoulders.
Squelching her
fingers into the dirt, Mina breathed in the rich, earthy aroma of the soil and
felt warmth flow into her body through her fingers, skin, mouth, and nose. Tensing the muscles in her arms, she guided
energy from her stomach to her hands. In
her mind, Mina tried to envision the ground rising up in front of her. Her body stiffened and the muscles in her
arms and legs bulged out as Mina lifted her hands out of the soil. A large clod of dirt rose out of the ground
in front of her, like a miniature hill.
Sweat formed on her skin and Mina gasped for breath as she tried to stand. Her right arm began to tremble uncontrollably
and the dirt clod rumbled, as if a miniature earthquake was passing through the
glade.
Grabbing her
right wrist with her left arm, Mina jerked her hands up and managed to rise to
a stoop. The clod of dirt rose as well,
shedding soil as it went, until it broke free of the ground and floated into
the air. The veins in Mina's neck popped
out as she lifted her trembling arm higher.
The dirt clod followed her movements and rose to Mina's height. A bead of sweat trickled down Mina's face and
into her eye. Mina blinked and the dirt
clod began to crumble apart bit by bit.
"Agh!"
Mina let out a screech and was pulled down to her hands and knees as the last
of the soil collapsed onto the ground.
Flopping onto
her back, Mina lay in the dirt, panting and blinking sweat out of her
eyes. "I...really...hate...earth
magic..." Mina grunted wiping sweat stained strands of emerald hair from
her eyes.
"Unsurprising,"
Aeon murmured, rising from his spot on the ground and offering Mina his hand. Once she took his hand, the lich pulled Mina
to her feet and held her steady.
"Ugh..."
Mina groaned, stumbling over to the nearby pond and taking a quick drink. "Ah!
That's better," she sighed with relief before washing her hands and
splashing water on her face. "Can
we practice wind now?"
"Hmmhmmm..."
Aeon rumbled in midair. "It is
plain to see which element is your favorite.
Very well. Show me your progress
with generating air currents."
"Actually..."
Mina dragged out the word and fluttered her eyes at the lich. "I was...hoping we could do something
different this time? I think I've gotten
pretty good at making wind go where I want, so..."
"Hmm? What did you have in mind?" Aeon
murmured, gazing down at the emerald haired girl with his eyeless sockets.
"Well...I've
been practicing something for a while and I finally got it to work last night,
so I thought maybe-" she said all in one breath.
"As you
wish," Aeon held up a hand to silence her and floated over to one of the
black barked trees near the edge of the glade.
"Please, proceed."
"Alright!"
Mina pumped her fist in the air before scampering over to Aeon. Taking a few steps back, she said, "Now,
watch closely."
Holding both
of her hands out to her sides with the palms facing up, Mina took a deep
breath. She could feel energy flowing
into her through all her pores. Once the
Leyline energy settled in her stomach, she guided it through her arms and into
her palms. A column of wind swirled out
of each hand. At first, the wind merely
rustled the branches of the trees around her, but as it picked up speed, it
became visible to the naked eye, with each column rising to almost twice Mina's
height before leveling off. The column
of wind in her right hand swirled in a clockwise direction, while the one in
her left flowed counterclockwise.
"Interesting,"
Aeon murmured, tapping the fingers of his right hand against the knuckles on
his left hand. "A wind current in
each hand at that size..."
"Hehe, actually..."
Mina chuckled, "That's not the trick.
Keep watching."
Taking another
breath, Mina tensed her muscles and curved her fingers inwards. Slowly, she moved both of her hands in front
of her. The edges of the pillars of wind
touched each other and rumbled, making her hands tremble. However Mina kept moving them closer and
closer together. As they crashed against
one another, a fierce gale billowed forth.
Mina's hair and Aeon's cloak were batted about, while a loud rustling
emanated from the trees as their branches bounced up and down uncontrollably. Slowly, the two opposing currents of wind
began to intertwine until Mina's hands were on top of one another and a tornado
swirled in her palm.
Glancing over
at Aeon, Mina saw the flames in his eye sockets increase in size momentarily
and snickered. Flexing her muscles, she
took a step forward, still holding the twister with both hands. Sweat formed on her forehead and she began to
pant, but Mina continued walking forward until she was right in front of Aeon.
"What...do
you...think?" she wheezed, still managing to smile at the lich.
"Hmmm..."
Aeon stroked his chin, floating up to the tornado and examining it. "Truly, your control is impressive. I wonder...can you hit me with it?"
"Thanks,
I...wait, what?!" Mina exclaimed.
Her hand trembled and the tornado shuddered. Fixing her eyes on the cyclone, Mina closed
her eyes and envisioned it stilling.
After a few seconds, her hand stopped trembling and the flow of the wind
normalized. "Ummm...say that
again?" Mina grunted, opening her eyes and looking directly at Aeon.
"Can you
direct the wind at me?" Aeon repeated.
"M-maybe?"
Mina stammered, feeling her heart pound in her chest.
"Then do
so."
For a few
seconds, Mina merely stared at Aeon, as the wind whistled and the tree branches
rustled around them. "Are...are you
sure?!" Mina cocked her eye at the lich.
"I
am," Aeon nodded. "Consider it
part of your training."
Glancing from
the tornado in her hand to Aeon, Mina shrugged.
"Well, if you say so." The
cyclone wobbled with each movement of her arm as she slowly reeled her hand
back. Sweat formed on Mina's brow and
she nodded to Aeon. "Okay...here it
comes!" she yelled.
The tornado in
her palm teetered back and forth as she thrust forward with all her strength. The twister surged ahead and hit Aeon full
force. Dirt and grass were uprooted and
the branches of the trees behind Aeon were blown backwards by the wind. However, Aeon did not budge an inch. Though the folds of his cloak flapped madly about,
the lich floated serenely in the middle of the storm. Once the wind had died down, Mina dropped to
one knee, panting and holding her chest.
Gliding to
Mina's side, Aeon helped her over to the rock she usually sat on and laid her
back against it. While the emerald
haired girl caught her breath, she saw Aeon turn and survey the damage. The grass around them had been flattened by
the force of the attack and the branches of the trees had been blown backwards. Great clumps of blue soil had been torn from
the ground by the force of the whirlwind and the glowing particles of Leyline
energy that usually filled the air were nowhere to be seen.
Raising his
right hand, Aeon gestured at the trees whose branches were still standing
straight up. A gentle breeze wafted out
of the sky and the branches slowly bobbed back into place. Jutting two fingers from his left hand out,
Aeon began to move them forward one at a time, almost as if his fingers were
walking. The displaced soil rose into
the air and began to bob up and down before filling the holes Mina's twister
had made in the ground. As he worked, Mina
noticed that the glowing specks of Leyline energy began to rise from the ground
once again.
"So..."
Mina panted, using her rock as a brace to help her get to her feet. "How'd I do?"
Folding his
hands behind his back, Aeon nodded at her.
"Your power is admirable-"
"Haha,
alright!" Mina raised her arm into the air before enthusiastically jerking
it downwards.
"However
the speed at which you can give your magic form is lacking and your energy
stores do not permit you to use such power consistently or for a long period of
time without becoming exhausted."
Mina blinked
at Aeon before letting her arms fall to her sides. A sigh escaped her lips and she shook her
head. "Had to ruin the moment,
didn't you?" she said, a sardonic smirk adorning her lips.
"Do not
misunderstand me, Minava," Aeon muttered, floating over to a rock across
from Mina and taking a seat. "You
have improved greatly. So much so that I
am curious as to how you have kept it a secret."
"Weeeelllll..."
Mina drew the word out for a few seconds, "I don't exactly practice out in
the open. When I'm not here, I train in
my room every morning before I start work and every night for as long as I can
before I have to go to bed," she giggled, taking a seat on her rock and resting
her hands on her knees, "I also focus on getting better at gathering
Leyline energy while I work in the tavern."
"And no
one notices?"
"Well,
Celi does..." Mina let out a hearty chuckle, "My favorite way to
practice is to use my magic to play tricks on her, but she's usually too crafty
for me. But most of my training has been
small stuff, like changing the flow of the wind or kicking up a strong
gale. Although...I may have gone too far
yesterday," she lowered her eyes and scratched her cheek.
"Hmm?"
"I've
never managed to make a stable tornado until yesterday...and when I did, I almost
shattered our attic window," Mina let out a half hearted laugh. "I wasn't used to the two opposing
currents of wind intermingling...so I almost lost control. Thankfully, uncle Kano didn't notice over the early morning
ruckus, but Celi was...just a little
upset," Mina blushed furiously.
"I can
imagine," Aeon murmured, interlocking his fingers and looking over them at
Mina. "Minava...have you never
given any thought to discovery?"
"Well, of
course," Mina scratched the back of her head and avoided looking at Aeon,
"But...I really wanted to get better before you left. I wanted to get strong enough to protect my
friends."
"And so
you have."
"Huh?"
Mina whipped her head around and looked at Aeon.
" If you
can conjur a tornado of that size, you are certainly capable of fighting,"
Aeon said. "With that much power,
you will be able to protect your comrades."
Seconds ticked
by slowly and Mina could feel her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. Swallowing hard, she mumbled, "So...does
that mean we're done here?"
"Only if
you wish it," Aeon shrugged.
"Oh,
thank Shanadia..." Mina let out a sigh of relief. "There's still a lot I want to learn
from you."
"Yes. I know," Aeon nodded, lowering his head
so that she could not see his eye sockets.
"However, I feel there is something you need to understand before
we continue, Minava."
"Ummm...what
is it?" Mina raised an eyebrow.
"You have
used your magic freely. And I encourage
you to continue to do so. However, I would
like you to be aware of the consequences each time you use your magic."
"You
mean...so I don't get discovered?" Mina stammered, unable to look Aeon in
the eye.
"Yes,"
Aeon said, a flicker of green fire spawning in his eye sockets, "However,
that is only part of it. What I want you
to understand, Minava, is that alongside the ability to wield magic, there is
also an obligation to use it wisely. I
do not believe you wish to hurt others with your power, correct?"
"That's
right," Mina nodded. "I want
to be able to protect my friends, but I don't want to hurt people...at least
not if I don't have to."
"That is
quite mature of you," Aeon said, watching Mina behind steepled fingers of
bleached, white bone, "However, if you wish to protect your friends, you
must be prepared to do what is necessary and accept the consequences. You must be ready to take responsibility for
the power you possess. Whether that
involves answering to Celine for annoying her or having to live with hurting
someone in order to keep your friends safe, it makes no difference."
"Well...I've
already taken my licks from Celi," Mina sighed and shook her head, "And
my time in the tavern's gotten me used to fighting, but..."
"Do not
worry," Aeon interjected, floating over to Mina, placing his left hand on her
shoulder, and giving it an affectionate squeeze. "I do not believe such choices lie ahead
of you. However now that you possess the
power, you must be responsible for it."
"Right,"
Mina nodded and smiled at Aeon. "I
will be," she added, glancing down at her hands before clenching and
unclenching her fingers. "I'll make
you proud," she whispered under her breath.
"Did you
say something, Minava?" Aeon muttered as he turned and floated away.
Mina's heart
skipped a beat before resuming it's steady pace. "Hehe," Her face burst into a grin
and she held a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. "No.
It was nothing."
"Hmmm?"
Aeon glanced behind him and stared at Mina, green flames swirling about in his
eyes sockets. "What is so
funny?"
"Haha, It's
just been a while since I've heard anyone talk to me like that," Mina
blushed and rubbed her left arm.
"Uncle Kano tends to wait for me to ask before dishing out advice. I think the last person to come out and start
lecturing me like you just did was my father."
"It is
only natural," Aeon said, floating over to a black trunked tree and
resting his spine against it. "I am
your teacher, after all."
"Well,
I'm glad," Mina smirked before jumping off her rock and stretching her
arms over her head. "Anyway, I'll
think about what you said and be more aware of how my magic affects
others."
"Good,"
Aeon retorted, "Now, I believe you have rested enough. Continue your training."
"Hehe,
yes sir!" Mina saluted sharply before holding her hands to her mouth and
giggling.
Clearing her throat and stifling her
laughter, Mina held her arms out in front of her and clapped her hands. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply and
felt warmth pool in her stomach. She
ground her hands together and felt the heat against her skin as flesh rubbed
against flesh. Cupping her hands, Mina
focused on the feeling of heat that still lingered in her palms and opened her
eyes. A sliver of smoke rose out of her
hands and she could make out a tiny golden flame cradled in her palms. Mina's eyes fixed on the flame, until she
heard a sharp chirping to the right of her.
Immediately the flame snuffed out.
"Dammit..."
she groaned, glancing over to the right.
A furry, black-winged creature flapped down to
them and landed on Aeon's outstretched finger.
It chirped at the lich for a moment and he nodded in response. "Then everything is prepared?"
The creature
nodded.
"I
see. Tell Vincent and Yuka I shall be
along momentarily."
After bobbing
its head up and down, the creature took to the air and flew towards the metal
tower nestled at the edge of the forest below the Selvan glade.
Shuffling over
to Aeon's side, Mina tugged on the hem of the lich's cloak. "Are you leaving?"
"Just for
the day," Aeon replied, ruffling Mina's hair. "I have business I must conduct on
behalf of the Telnumbran Elder Council."
"Wait...is
this why you've been running Vincent ragged the past two weeks?" Mina scowled
and put her hands on her hips.
"If you
are referring to the missives I have had him carry, then yes, you are
correct," Aeon nodded. "Now,
please excuse me," he bowed to Mina and floated over to the edge of the
Selvan glade.
"Mind if
I join you?" Mina mumbled, following Aeon to the edge of the Selvan
Glade. "I wouldn't mind saying hey
to Vincent and Yuka."
"This
business is pressing, Minava. I must
reach Merkel's tower quickly and I do not have time to go around with you, nor
can I wait for you to catch up to me," Aeon said.
Taking a deep
breath, Mina guided energy from her stomach into her arms and legs. Flashing Aeon a mischievous grin, she said,
"Who said I'd be going around?"
Wind wafted out of Mina's hands, causing her hair and clothes to billow
up around her.
The flames in
Aeon's eye sockets exploded in size, nearly filling his skull. "Minava!"
"How
about you try and catch up with me!" Mina smirked and leapt off the
edge of the glade. Glancing back at Aeon
as she fell, Mina saw him float off the edge and follow after her right before
she passed through the bubble hiding the Selvan glade and lost sight of him.
Turning to
face the ground, Mina saw the forest sprawled out in front of her like a sea of
green. As she fell, Mina held out her
hands, facing the ground, and increased the amount of wind flowing out of them. She glided forward and began to slow as she
approached the forest, however she was still falling at a rapid rate. "Uh oh..." Mina grunted, tensing
the muscles in her legs and forcing wind out of her feet to try and slow her
descent. Though she managed to decrease
the speed of her fall, Mina's momentum carried her forward and she saw too late
that she was headed straight for one of the forest's trees.
Holding her
arms up to her face, Mina tumbled forward and crashed into the upper boughs of
a tree. Branches whipped past her,
stinging her face and her arms as she went.
After breaking through the foliage, Mina fell face first towards the
dirt before suddenly stopping an inch above the ground. Staring at the dirt, wide eyed and with her
heart threatening to explode from her chest, Mina glanced behind her and saw
Aeon holding onto the back of her dress and keeping her suspended in midair.
"You-!"
Aeon growled, the flames in his eye sockets rapidly expanding before shrinking
into almost nothingness. A weary sigh
escaped Aeon's mouth and he dropped Mina into the dirt.
"Ow!"
Mina grunted, staggering to her feet and brushing dirt from her face and
dress. "You didn't have to drop me
like-!"
"That was
reckless and stupid, Minava," Aeon murmured, "Did you hear nothing I
said before? Had I not caught you, you
would have several broke bones right now."
Wincing as she
touched the cuts she had gotten from the branches, Mina looked up at Aeon, who
was floating in front of her with his hands folded behind his back. Hanging her head, Mina let out a sigh. "Sorry...I...I thought I could make it
work."
"Hmmm?"
"Flying,
I mean," Mina grunted, pulling leaves out of her hair. "Or at least floating for a little
bit. I mean, I did it in your lab, but...I
guess I didn't think there was any danger.
I..." shaking her head, she looked directly at Aeon. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
"It's...it
is alright, Minava," Aeon said, shaking his head. "Since..." the lich groaned and
dragged his bony nails over his skull, "Since you have come this far, you
may accompany me to Yuka and Merkel's tower, if you wish."
"Thank
you," Mina mumbled, taking Aeon's hand.
The lich didn't seem to notice and began to float forward through the
trees, pulling Mina along after him.
Walking in
companionable silence, Mina clung tightly to Aeon's hand and allowed the lich
to lead her along. Holding out her free
hand, Mina closed her eyes and took a few breathes. Squeezing the muscles in her stomach, she
could feel warmth passing through her chest as Leyline energy moved into her
right hand. Rubbing her fingers
together, Mina tried to focus on the heat generated by the friction. After a few seconds, she stopped rubbing her
fingers together and used them to massage her palm. Her hand became hot and she opened an eye. In the center of her palm, Mina saw a wisp of
black smoke, but no flames. Opening both
her eyes, Mina relaxed her stomach and chest muscles and the smoke vanished
almost immediately.
Turning her
gaze towards Aeon, Mina saw him facing forward and stroking his chin. Suppressing a sigh, she shook her head,
looked down at her right hand, and began to rub her fingers together
again. "What ails you,
Minava?" Mina's head snapped up at
the sound of Aeon's voice. The lich
slowly turned to face her and his eyeless sockets fell upon her palm.
"Heh,"
Mina snickered and hid her hand behind her back. "It's nothing."
"Minava..."
Aeon muttered.
"You seem
to have a lot on your mind," Mina shook her head. "So don't worry about it."
Aeon faced
forward once again. "Your fear runs
deep."
"Huh?"
Mina raised an eyebrow and tilted her head to the side.
"Your
concern is plainly written across your face," Aeon mused. "The reason
you are having difficulty with fire is that you are afraid."
A sigh escaped
Mina's lips. "That obvious,
huh?" she wore a somber smile and glanced back at her hand. "Come on, though, Aeon. I'm not really
scared," Mina snorted, "It's been eight years and I'm fine being by
my uncle's cooking fires or the fireplace in the tavern or in your room-"
"However
you are still unsettled by flames formed with Leyline energy," Aeon interrupted. "I have seen it with Denad, Rudra, and
Devan. Even if your fear is not
crippling, it hinders you."
"Then...what
should I do?" Mina's shoulder's slumped.
"How can I overcome my fear?"
"You do
not need to overcome your fear, Minava," Aeon said. "You merely need to come to terms with
it."
Raising an
eyebrow, Mina quickened her pace until she was in step with Aeon. "Well...how do I do that?"
"I do not
have an answer, Minava," Aeon shook his head. "I have never feared
fire. The only advice I can give you is
to try to accept fire for what it is.
You do not need to like it, so long as you can accept it."
"Huh,"
Mina mused aloud as she and Aeon broke through the trees, a few yards away from
Yuka and Merkel's metal tower. "Accepting fire...I wonder if Deminos would
lend me a hand with that...?"
"He
speaks highly of you since your trip to Dragonia," Aeon muttered. "I believe he would enjoy
assisting-" The lich stopped floating forward and turned to face the
tower. "Hmmm...?" he stroked
his chin.
"What's wrong?"
Mina said, just as the door to the metal tower was flung open.
Yuka and
Celine burst through the doorway and bolted past Mina and Aeon. "Mina?!" Celine panted, skidding to
a halt after passing her.
"Celi?!"
Mina's exclaimed, glancing from her friend to the metal tower. "What's-" her voice died in her
throat as she spied a torrent of flames pour out of the tower's door, heading
straight for her and Aeon.
"Don't
panic! I can put it out!" Yuka
yelled as she fumbled with her work apron's pockets. "Get clear!"
"Hmmph." Before Mina could move, Aeon floated forward
and flicked his hand aside. A powerful current
of wind formed in front of him and diverted the flames up into the air. After a few seconds, the fire died away, with
the only reminder that it had ever existed being a trail of flaming grass in
front of the lich and a few stray embers which drifted down from the sky. Turning to Yuka and Celine, Aeon folded his
hands behind his back and green flames sparked to life in his eyeless
sockets. "Now...would you like to
explain to me what that was?" he glowered at Yuka.
"Ehehehe..."
Yuka let out a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of her mostly shaven
head. "Just...tryin ta test out a little
gadget I was tinkerin with," the neeg stammered, running her hand over her
braided brown ponytail.
"Yuka..."
Aeon sighed and ran his bony nails over his skinless face.
"Oi! It was an accident!" Yuka exclaimed, putting
her hands on her hips. "I didn't
mean ta incinerate us! I just wanted a little
fire ta test my aquade!"
"Yeah...how'd
that go?!" Celine snorted, doubled over and trying to catch her
breath. "I swear, I felt the flames
licking at my neck, Yuka! Mina, do I
look burnt anywhere?" the tan skinned girl panted as she stumbled over to
Mina's side.
Mina put her
arm around Celine to keep her steady before looking her over. There were a few black marks at the tips of
her friend's curly blonde hair, but no signs of burns or bruises on her skin. "Your hair got a little singed, but
that's about it," Mina said, running her fingers through Celine's hair. "Now, will someone explain-"
"Aquade?"
Aeon cut in and stroked his chin.
"Yeah! Well...this ain't what I had in mind,
but...it'll do," Yuka chuckled.
Ambling past Aeon, she reached into the pockets of her apron and pulled
something out. "This is an
invention of mine. I call it an
aquade," she said, holding up the device for everyone to see. It looked like water held in the shape of a
ball by a translucent material. What
looked to be a frame of solid metal with a raised button in the center ran
around the exterior of the translucent material, holding it together. "Just click down the button," Yuka
said, pressing the button with her thumb, "An chuck it!"
Reeling back,
Yuka tossed the device into the air, right above the patch of flaming grass in
front of the tower. The instant it was
over the grass, the metal frame fell off and the sphere of water burst apart,
showering the grass in moisture and putting out the flames.
Yuka skipped
over to the discarded metal frame and stuffed it into her apron before pulling
a soggy sheet of clear material off the grass.
"So...whatcha think?" Yuka flashed a smile at Mina, Aeon, and
Celine.
For a moment,
silence overtook them. Aeon held his
bony hand over his mouth, tapping the side of his skull and looking from the
grass to Yuka, while Mina and Celine just gaped at her. "That's what all the fuss was about?!"
Celine snorted. "Ya know...Yuka..."
she massaged the bridge of her nose, "If ya wanted to put out a fire ya
coulda just used a bucket."
"Oi! Shut it!" Yuka spat, crossing her arms. "Aright, so maybe ya could use a bucket...but can ya carry a
bucket fulla water in yer pocket like this?!" she grunted, pulling another
aquade out of her apron.
"Hehe...I
know I sure couldn't," Mina chuckled, "From where I stand, it looks
like you're better at water magic than I am, Yuka."
The neeg
beamed at Mina and winked before turning to face Aeon. "Ehehe...so, ya see what I meant ta do,
right, Aeon?" Yuka let out a half hearted chuckle.
Scooping the
aquade out of Yuka's hand, Aeon turned it around, examining it from all
angles. "How does it work,
Yuka?"
"Heh,
well, ya see," Yuka drew as close to Aeon as a shadow and pointed to
various parts of the device, "Dakon made the clear material for me from some
mandiblar bladder Vincent brought back from Aridia. It's tough and'll contract without bursting,
so I can put alotta water in it. I made
the metal frame myself. It squeezes the
material and the water just enough ta keep it from leaking out. But..." Yuka pointed to the button on
the surface of the device. "Click
this button, without holdin it down for too long, and the spring I use ta keep
everything tight starts ta lose tension...so, it all comes apart, spreadin
water everywhere."
"Hmmm...interesting,"
Aeon muttered, rubbing the bottom of his jaw.
"Did you make this for Canak?"
"Well...kinda..."
Yuka blushed and moved away from Aeon.
"Also wanted an easy way ta put out the flames uncle Merkel's
always startin."
"Something
tells me it's not JUST him, Yuka," Celine smirked.
"Oi! Bite me!" Yuka stuck out her tongue, "I warned ya
about the fire!"
"Why
aquade?" Mina got on her tiptoes to try and get a better look at the
device. Aeon lowered it to Mina's level
and she ran her fingers over the clear material. It was pulled so taught that it didn't move
at all when she poked it.
"Uncle
Merkel used some'atha powder we usually make fireworks outta to create a metal device
that'll burst inta flames," Yuka shrugged, "Called ita flameade...for
obvious reasons. Since mine does the opposite,
figured I may as well call it an-"
"Yes, I
see," Aeon nodded, handing the device back to Yuka. "Now, about the preparations for our
trip..."
"Sayna
more," Yuka held up her hand.
"Everythin's all loaded up.
Ye'll need to conjure some undead or some Goetians ta carry it all, but
it and Vincent are waitin for ya at the teleporter relay."
"Excellent,"
Aeon nodded. "Then we should be
going."
The lich
glided past Yuka and beckoned her to follow him. Pocketing her aquade, Yuka glanced at Mina
and Celine, jerked her head in Aeon's direction, and together, the three of them
entered the tower.
"Oi, hold
on a second," Yuka mumbled. Stripping
out of her apron, she entered into a room near the entrance and closed the door
after her. From behind the door, Aeon
and the two girls could hear Yuka rummaging through drawers and cursing.
"What's
she doing in there?" Mina mumbled, glancing at the scorch marked walls
around them.
"No
idea," Celine shook her head.
"She's been actin weird all week."
After a few
minutes, Yuka came out of the door wearing a vest covered in pouches over a
faded, red, sleeveless tunic. A fresh
pair of leather work pants adorned her legs and were tucked into her usual work
boots. Tightening a gauntlet onto her muscular
right arm, which held a circular saw blade above her hand, Yuka nodded at Aeon,
Mina, and Celine. "Aight...I'm
ready," she mumbled, using her teeth to pull the strap on her gauntlet taut. "Let's go."
"Oh, may
we?" Celine snickered, giving Yuka a quick nudge in the side.
"Ahhh,
stow it. This's important," the
neeg smiled and gave the tan skinned girl a swift jab to the arm.
"So...what's
with that gettup?" Celine mumbled, one step in front of Mina and one step
behind Yuka on the stairwell next to the entrance inside the tower. "Who're ya tryin to impress?"
Yuka flicked
the two flint rings on her fingers together absentmindedly, sending a small
shower of sparks onto the metal steps in front of her. "Well..." Yuka smirked, as color
rose to her cheeks.
"We have
business with a neeg inventor," Aeon said, snapping his fingers. The stairwell the three girls were on
sputtered to life and began to carry them upwards, while the lich floated
forward in front of them.
Biting down on
her lip, Yuka glared daggers at the back of the lich's skull. "He's a frienda mine," Yuka
murmured, running her fingers over the circular saw blade attached to her wrist. "We're goin ta his private workshop ta
look over a new inventiona his...an maybe buy it."
"A...neeg
inventor?" Celine muttered, lowering her eyes slightly and stroking her
chin.
"Aye. Name's Canak.
Ain't met a more well spoken or friendly fellah in all my days,"
Yuka said, a smile creeping onto her lips.
"He's really somethin."
"What kind
of things does he make?" Mina chimed in, glancing from Celine's brooding
expression to Yuka's giddy face.
"Is he a fireworks maker? We
had one of those in my parents' caravan and the shows they put on...!"
Mina stopped and put her hand over her pounding chest. "They were just beautiful."
"Hehe,
well Canak mighta shown me a few colorful blasts..." Yuka chuckled,
"But he tries to make machines like mine or uncle Merkel's rather than
fireworks. He's damned good at it
too."
After feeling
the backs of her scarred ears, Celine looked over at Yuka and pointed to her
fingers. "Is he the one who made
those rings?"
"Ehehee..."
Yuka scratched her head and flicked her flint rings against each other. "Yeah...he's the one. Made em so neeg entertainers who went
travelin'd never have ta fuss with flint and metal ta make flames for their
fireworks or other tricks. I told him
what kinda work I do an he gave me a pair ta lend me a hand."
"Sounds
like he really cares about you," Mina smiled and grabbed Celine's hand. "I take it the feeling is mutual?"
she flashed Celine a quick grin before turning back to Yuka.
"W-well..."
Yuka mumbled.
"It is-"
Aeon interjected.
"Oi!"
Yuka's face flushed a darker shade of green and she bared her teeth at the
lich.
"Time to
head up," Aeon pointed above them.
The three girls looked up and saw that the stairwell was about to
deposit them into the tower proper.
"Ah..."
Yuka grunted, stepping off the moving stairs with Celine and Mina close behind
her. "Right...this way," she
mumbled, leading them across the metal layered upon metal that made up the
floor.
They passed a
smoldering forge against the far wall and Mina's eyes strayed to one of the
myriad devices that littered the floor.
Close to the stairwell was a hardwood container that was fitted with a
metal nozzle. However, the container's
wood and the metal all around it were scorched so badly they almost looked jet
black.
Stifling a
snicker, Mina skipped over to a platform where Aeon and Celine were
waiting. Yuka pressed a few buttons on a
raised console attached to the platform and once she was on board, flipped a
switch. Immediately, metal rails sprang
out of the edge of the platform and it began to ascend.
Feeling her
ears once again, Celine narrowed her eyes at Yuka. "So...how long have you known
Canak?" she asked as they rose past metal scaffoldings and floors
supported by metal beams.
"About a
year," Yuka shrugged. "This
trip'ah ours ain't exactly outta the blue.
Fore we came here, I was sent out ta meet the 'neeg revolutionary,'"
she spat. "Man ain't as radical as
all that. Just wants us neeg ta be
treated like everyone else."
"Radical
or not, he is a stubborn one," Aeon murmured, glancing up at the glowing
blue crystal of the flower bud overhead.
"He threw my offer to assist his endeavors back in my face."
"Yeah...I
can see him doin that," Yuka sighed and shook her head. "Don't want no handouts. Wants the neeg ta stand proud on our
own."
"So...is
he famous?" Celine went on, balling her hands into fists. "I mean...does he have lots of...friends among the neeg?"
"Celi?"
Mina whispered, wrapping her fingers around Celine's fist. "What's wrong?"
"Uh..."
Celine's eyes widened for a moment and she quickly grabbed Mina's hand. "It's nothing. Don't worry," she whispered back.
"Hmmm..."
Yuka hummed as the platform carrying them slowed. "He's got contacts all over the
continent, sure, though he ain't as popular as ya might think. Ain't too keen on somea the things other neeg
do," she turned back to Celine and her smile curdled somewhat. "I wish ya could meet him, Celine. He ain't like the neeg you know. I can promise ya that much."
Silence
overtook the four of them as the platform came to a halt in front of the
teleporter relay. The stone structure,
suspended in the air by chains embedded in the wall, glowed a faint blue thanks
to the glyph in the center of the floor, while above them the crystal flower
shimmered in the midday sun. Near the
console underneath the gigantic flower were Vincent and Merkel, flanked on either
side by six large barrels, each easily a foot taller than Celine.
"Aeon!"
Vincent stepped forward, looking even paler than usual. His silvery hair stuck out at odd angles from
under his bandana and dark circles were visible under his bloodshot eyes. Nevertheless, he smiled and held himself with
an air of dignity. "Things should
be ready on our end," he bowed and gestured towards the barrels. "They're expecting you and they know not
to start dividing the payment until after you're satisfied. Canak assured me of this himself. He'll probably want proof you've brought it,
though," the teythen jutted his thumb in the direction of one of the
barrels.
"You have
done well, my friend," Aeon murmured, floating over to Vincent and putting
a bony hand on the teythen's shoulder.
"I must apologize for the sleepless days and nights I have forced
you to endure."
"Heh..."
Vincent smirked at the lich and shook his head.
"Don't worry. If I were sick
of it, I'd have accepted Austa's offer to become one of her knights years
ago," he said, clapping his hand on Aeon's shoulder.
"Your
work is appreciated, "Aeon said before turning to Yuka and nodding. "Are you prepared for what may happen
today?"
"It'll be
fine," Yuka waved her hand dismissively, "Canak'll listen to reason."
"Hey,"
Celine called, stepping forward and pulling Mina with her, "I...!"
she squeezed Mina's hand and narrowed her eyes at Aeon. "I-If you'll have me...I'd like to go with
you!"
"Celi...?"
Mina's eyes twitched and she turned to face Celine.
Rubbing the
back of her scarred ears, Celine steeled her gaze and turned to Yuka. "If Canak has contacts all over the
continent, maybe he'll know the neeg who...who owned me..." she spat the
words out and trembled. "Maybe he
can find out where they took me from."
"Eh..."
Yuka raised a hand to object, but no words came out of her mouth. After a few seconds, she allowed her hand to
fall and nodded. "Aye...he might. Wouldya be alright there, though? I know ya an I are aright, but these other
neeg..."
"Just
promise me you won't let them take me away," Celine's heart thudded so
loud that Mina could hear it and she saw sweat forming on her brow. "Yuka, I..."
"I'll go
too!" Mina chimed in, grabbing Celine's hand with both of hers. "I won't let you do this alone, Celi!"
"Mina..."
"I told
you when we took you in that I'd help you find out who you really are!"
Mina said, hugging Celine's arm.
"Let me do this with you!"
"No!"
Aeon's voice tore through their conversation like bastard sword through a suit
of rusty armor "Absolutely
not. I will not allow either of you to
accompany us."
"Aeon...I
know how things could go,
but..." Yuka scratched her arm, "But Canak'll see reason. It'll all be okay. Ya've got nothin ta worry about, I promise."
"Nevertheless,
this is dangerous. This is not like our
other outings," Aeon said, his voice cold and composed, even as he
glowered at Mina and Celine, "This time, we will be walking into a raging
inferno. I am sorry," he bowed his
head at Celine, "I shall inquire on your behalf. However, I cannot-"
"I say
let them go with you," Vincent said, the drowsiness fast vanishing from
his eyes. He and Aeon exchanged glances
for a moment before the teythen flashed a toothy grin. "They'll need to see what we do sooner
or later," Vincent shrugged.
"Besides. If things go off
without a hitch, where's the harm?"
Aeon glared
daggers at the teythen. Turning back to
Mina and Celine, Aeon shook his head.
"My answer is still no."
Celine's
shoulders slumped, but Mina stepped forward and pulled her along with her. "We won't leave unless you agree to take
us!" she snapped. "We'll stay
with you until you go! You need this
teleporter to get there, right?! So, we
just need to stay close to you!"
"The
place we are going is shrouded in flames, Minava," Aeon hissed, "It
is a mountain range that is always burning.
That alone should tell you of the danger."
A sly smirk
crossed Mina's lips. "Sounds like
the perfect place to help get me comfortable with fire."
"Minava..."
Aeon's voice was low and menacing, punctuated by the green flames in his eye
sockets flickering wildly about. "I
can force you from this platform, if I wish."
"I kinda
doubt that," Vincent smirked at Aeon and crossed his arms. "That's not how you treat your comrades."
Mina breathed
in sharply as the flames in Aeon's skull grew brighter and brighter. His shadow lengthened and it almost appeared
as if he were growing larger. The flames
in Aeon's eye sockets flickered violently at Vincent, boring into his own
crimson eyes. In spite of the fearsome
display, neither Vincent nor Aeon spoke and each of their faces' were adorned
with a stoic expression. After a minute
had passed, Merkel cleared his throat.
"Oi!"
the warty green man shouted, pulling at tufts of white hair in his ears while
digging under his dirty, yellowed fingernails.
"If ya wan ta be there, ya gots ta leave son! Mek up yer mind!"
The flames in
Aeon's skull slowly died down and once they had vanished, it was as if nothing
had passed between him and Vincent.
Turning away from the teythen, he faced Mina and Celine. "Come if you wish. But you may not like what you find. This is my final warning. From here on, you take responsibility for all
that you see and all that you do.
Understood?"
Mina swallowed
hard and nodded. Celine bowed her head
and trembled. "Thank you," she
said, barely above a whisper.
"I...I'll-"
"We will
protect you," Aeon cut her off, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder and
touching her ear with his bony index finger.
"You have my word. However,
this is not a pleasure trip. I have a
job to do. And you may not like what you
see."
"We'll
take the chance," Mina said, squeezing Celine's hand. "We can't pass this opportunity
up!"
"Least
now ya'll get ta meet Canak in person," Yuka said, putting her arm around
Celine's shoulder and ushering her and Mina over the glyph in the center of the
platform. "I'm sure ya'll hit it
off."
Aeon glanced
back at Vincent for a moment before floating over to join Yuka, Mina, and
Celine. He raised his hand into the air
and holes opened up in the ground. The bones
of some gigantic apocra rose out of the holes and formed six monstrous
skeletons. Each stood on two legs and
had bones almost as thick as tree trunks.
They each bore only a single eye socket in the center of their skulls
and turned to face the barrels next to Merkel.
The skeletons hefted them over their shoulders and joined Aeon and the
girls. Aeon snapped his fingers and the bones
of each skeleton's left arm warped, spreading outward until it was almost as wide
around as they were tall. The bones
curved down somewhat, giving their arms the appearance of a parasol.
"Keep the
barrels covered," Aeon said to the skeletons, who held their new arms over
themselves, casting a dark shadow over the group.
"Ya ready?"
Merkel snorted and took up his position at the console below the crystalline
flower.
"Shokudo
mountain range. Coordinates 527-982-361. That should drop us just within sight of the
foundry," Aeon replied.
"Ah
gotit, ah gotit," Merkel snapped, rapidly pressing buttons and pulling
levers on his console. "Oi,
Yuka!" he yelled, after pulling a lever that made the floor start to
glow. "Ya come back safe, ya hear
me?! Ya idjit girl?!"
"Ah, stow
it! If things go well, I may not come
back at all! Stayin with Canak's probably
safer than with you, idjit!" Yuka hollered back.
As they spoke,
a circle of blue light extended out from under their feet. The glyph in the center of the platform
flashed violently and the walls of the circle rose up around them, forming a
cerulean tunnel that flowed into the flower before being cast off into the
distance.
Mina and
Celine squeezed each other's hands as their bodies were slowly pulled apart,
bit by bit. Aeon and the skeletons bore through
the ordeal with stoicism, while Yuka anxiously flicked her flint rings together
as her body was slowly unwound and shot through the tunnel. Nausea washed over Mina as, within the span
of a few seconds, she felt her body being pulled away from her and reassembled
elsewhere.
When the walls
of the cerulean tunnel vanished, a wave of hot air washed over everyone. Mina felt sweat blossom on her skin and wiped
her forehead before looking out at the landscape in front of her. The sky in the distant horizon was greyish
black, however the air was lit up by a rain of glowing red and orange. Through the rain, Mina could make out several
mountains all around them, each of their peaks ablaze. A shadow fell over her and the skeletons
behind her, Yuka, Celine, and Aeon held their domelike arms over them to shield
them from the rain. However, this
greatly limited their view of what lay ahead.
"What...is
all this?" Mina whispered, leaning down and scooping up a handful of
gravel and ash. "Is this
rain?" Mina reached out her hand only to have Celine jerk it back inside
before she could grab one of the glowing particles.
"That's
not rain! Those are flaming embers,"
Celine grunted, her heart pounding so loud that Mina could hear it. "This place...it's like being inside a forge!"
"Yep. The Shokudo mountain range ain't exactly a
place for sissies," Yuka grunted.
"Aeon, ya sure those barrels'll be safe?"
"I
am," Aeon nodded and began to float forward. His skeletons followed afterwards, hugging
the barrels close to themselves while holding their deformed arms up to keep
the rain of embers off the four of them.
"Come. We are
expected," he murmured.
"Goddess..."
Celine grunted, wiping her brow as she, Mina, and Yuka followed after Aeon "What kind of man could live here...not
even the forges I was forced to work in as a child were this hot."
"Canak's
got his reasons," Yuka snorted.
"I grant ya, this place's a nightmare ta live in...but it's also a
nightmare ta sneak inta or invade."
"Even
so..." Mina panted, wiping soggy hair from her face and trying not to lose
her footing on the ash covered path they were walking over, "It's kinda
beautiful here. The heat's terrible,
but...that rain is something else."
"I
suppose," Celine mumbled.
"What I can't figure out is why flaming embers are raining down on
us."
"Do you
know why, Aeon?" Mina called to the lich.
"It is
because the Shokudo mountain range is unique," Aeon murmured, casting the
girls a quick glance from the front of their convoy. "The mountains here spit fire and ash
into the air on a regular basis. The
amount is so great that it perpetually rains flames and ash. Rumors suggest that this is caused by a
dragon as large as Rudra who sleeps underneath these mountains. Some believe that each time he snores, he
casts fire into the sky."
"Is...is
it true?!" Mina squeaked.
"S'alla
buncha crap, in my opinion," Yuka shrugged before holding a cloth up to
her mouth. "Oughta hurry
though. Breathin the ash fallin down's
no good for ya. Few minutes won't hurt,
but ya stay out here too long and ya'll get sick. I did my first time."
"So, then...how
far is it to the foundry?" Celine murmured, shivering in spite of the
heat.
"We are
here," Aeon replied and came to a halt.
The three
girls joined him and gazed out beyond the protective shield the skeletons were
holding over them. Like a miniature
mountain, a vast structure rose into the heavens only a few hundred yards in
front of them. The base of the tower was
made of stone and appeared as if it was joined with the mountain, while further
up, metal and stone began to intermingle in the construction. There were even a few windows and offshoots
from the main tower that seemed to look out into the Shokudo range from all
sides. Far up the tower, support beams
held up a shield of layered metal sheets that extended over the tower and
curved downwards towards the ground, creating an area close to the base where
no ash or flaming embers fell. On the
underside of the shield were several smokestacks, spurting black smoke into the
air which quickly rose out from under the shield and mingled with the fire in
the sky.
"Yep,
that’s Canak’s foundry, alright,” Yuka nodded.
"Celi?"
Mina grabbed her friend's quivering hand.
Despite how
loud her heart was pounding, Celine put on a brave face and nodded. "I'm ready."
"Then let
us go," Aeon said, motioning his skeletons forward. "There is work to be done."
